Signaling device for an automatic lathe



May 12, 1931. D. TURCOTT I ,SIGNALING DEVICE FOR AN AUTOMATIC LATHE Filed June 25. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 12, 1931. I D. TURCOTT SIGNALING DEVICE FOR AN AUTOMATIC LATHE Filed June 23. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E M Q m I Patented May 12, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIc k DAVID TURCO'IT, or IBELOIT, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T YATES-AMERICAN Mnonmn COMPANY, or BELOIT, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE SIGNAIING DEVICE ron AN AUTOMATIC LATHE Application filed June 23,

,The present invention pertains to automatic wood-turning lathes of the type in which the stock is brought into engagement with rotating knives and is rotated on 1ts own axis while insuch engagement. V

The primary object of the invention is vto provide a novel signaling device which will indicate to the operator when the cutting operation on the stock has been completed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrations.

In order that the invention may be readily 15. understood, one form of the same is presented herein, but it will be appreciated of course that the invention is capable of embodiment in other structurally modified forms.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view of an automatic lathe equipped with the signaling device of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is an end View of the lathe.

The signaling device is shown in the drawings in association with a lathe of well known construction. The lathe includes a main frame 10, avset of rotating knives 11 supported by the frame, a carriage 12 pivoted at 13 to the frame, a pair of rotating chucks 14 supported by the carriage, and a feed lever 15 connected with the carriage for swinging the same toward the frame a distance limited by an adjustable stop 16, whereby to cause a rotating piece of stock 17 held between-the chucks to be advanced into engagement with the knives and cut to shape. 7

The signaling device includes a housing 18, a clutch member 19 secured to one end of one of the chuck spindles 20, an axially shiftable clutch member 21 journaled in a bracket 22 in the housing in opposition to the clutch member 19, a pinion 23 fixedly associated with the clutch member 21, a sector 24 journalled on a stud 25 in the housing in mesh with the pinion, a lever 26 pivoted at its lower end to a stud 27 in the housing and bearing intermediate its end against a boss 28 on the center of the pinion 23, a solenoid 29, and an axially shiftable core 30 in the 1928. Serial No. 287,854.

solenoid to which the upper end of the lever 26 is pivoted.

When the carriage 12 is swung by the lever 15 into its fully advanced position with respect to the frame 10in which position the stock 17 will be cut to the desired depth by the knives 11the adjustable stop 16 on the carriage comes into engagement with a stop, 31 on the frame. The stops 16 and 31 con-- stitute cooperating contact points in the circuit of the solenoid 29, and, consequently, whenthe rotating stock reaches the cutting position, the circuit of the solenoid is closed, the clutch member 21 is shifted axially by the lever 26 into frictional engagement with the rotating clutch member 19,'and the pinion 23 is rotated and turns the sector 24.. By thetime that the stock 17 has rotated a complete revolution in its cutting position-at which time the cutting operation is finished the sector 24 will have'been turned into a position wherein a lug 32 on the same has engaged with a spring supported contact point 33 and has pressed such point into engagement with a contact point 34. The contact points 33 and 34 are'located in the circuit of a signal lamp 35,'and, when the contact point 33 is forced into engagement with the contact point 3 1, the circuit of the lamp is closed and a light appears, which light indicates to the operator that the cutting operation has been completed. The operator may then move the lever 15 to retract the carriage 12, without running any chanceof not havingentirely finished the out on the stock.

If theoperator does not throw the lever 15 as soon as the light appears, no damage will result as the clutch member 21 will merely slipwi th respect to the clutch member 19 until such time as the circuit of the solenoid 29 is opened by the separation of the contact points 16 and 31 incident to the backward movement of the carriage. As soon as the contact points 16 and 31 have separated and have openedthe circuit of the solenoid 29,1the, clutch member 21 will be withdrawn from the rotating clutch member 19, and the sector 24 will returnto its initial position against an 7 adjustable stop 36, under the action of a suitably arranged spring 37.

Byadjusting the position of the stop 36, it is possible to vary the extent to which the stock 17 will turn before the lamp 35 lights up. If it is desired that the lamp not light up until after the stock has turned more than a complete revolution, this may be accomplished by retracting the stop 36, since the sector 24 will always return to a position against such stop under the action of the spring 37 after the circuit of the solenoid 29 has been opened, and, when the stop 36 is in a more retracted position than that shown, the pinion 23 will have to turn more than a complete revolution in order to turn the sector far enough to cause the lug 32 on the sector to press the contact point 33 in the lamp circuit against the contact point 34.

When the signal lamp lights up, the operator not only knows that the stock has made a full revolution since reaching the cutting position, but he also knows that the stock has remained constantly in such cutting position during that time, since, should the carriage be inadvertently retracted during the cutting operation, even to the slightest extent, the indicating means will become normalized, that is to say, the contact point 16 in the circuit of the solenoid 29 will leave the contact point 31 and the solenoid 29 will become de-energized, allowing the sector 24 to return to its normal or starting position again.

While the signaling device of the invention has been described in its applicaiton to an automatic wood-turning lathe, it will of course be understood that it may be used to advantage in connection with other different kinds of turning machines.

I claim:

1. In a lathe, a rotating cutter head adapted to operate on a rotating piece of stock, means for rotating the stock, means for advancing the stock-rotating means, stops for determining the extent to which the stockrotating means'is advanced toward the cutter head, which stops must be maintained continuously in engagement while the piece of stock makes at least one'complete revolution in order to complete the cutting operation, means for indicating when the cutting operation is finished, and means for normalizing said indicating means in case the stops are not maintained continuously in engagement during the cutting operation. H

12. In a lathe, a rotating cutter head adapted to operate on a rotating piece of stock, means for rotating the stock, means for advancing the stock-rotating means, stops for determining the extent to which thestockrotating means is advanced toward the cutter head, a signal for indicating when the stock-rotating means has rotated through a certain angle while maintained in full depth cutting relation to the cutter head, and signaloperating means so connected with the" stops as to start functioning and contmue functioning only when the stops are in contact.

3. In a lathe, a rotating cutter head adapted to operate on a rotating piece of stock, means for rotating the stock, means for moving the stock-rotating means toward the cutter head into a position where the cutter head is in full depth cutting relation thereto, and means for indicatingwhenthe stockrotating means has made at least'one complete revolution without leaving such position.

4. In alathe, a rotating cutter head adapted to operate'on a rotating piece of stock, means for rotating the stock, means for moving the stock rotating means toward the cutter head into a position wherein the cutter head is in full depth cutting relation thereto,

moved out of full depth cutting relation to the cutter head.

5. In a lathe, a rotating cutter head adapted to operate on a rotating piece of stock,

.means for rotating the stock, means for noving the stock-rotating means toward the cutter head into a position where the cutter head is in full depth cutting relation thereto, an electric signal having a normally open circuit, a member which will close the circuit only when moved into a predetermined position, a connection between the stock-rotatin g means and said member for causing the latter to start moving toward said predetermined position when the stock-rotating means has reached a position wherein the cutter-head is'in full depth cutting'relation thereto, and means for returning said memher to its initial position when the stock-r0 tating means is moved out of full depth cutting reiation to the cutter head.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto su'bscribed my name.

DAVID TuRooTT. 

